Mandatory Vaccination to Ensure the Safety of Students!

L’Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO) calls on Premier Ford to mandate vaccination for all school staff and eligible students, in order to maximize the health and safety of the entire school community.

There is no longer any doubt that Ontario has officially entered the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, coinciding with the start of the school year. Recognizing that the previous three waves have had a deplorable and cumulative effect on young people, ACÉPO calls on the Premier of Ontario to do everything possible to minimize the impact of this new wave. Each daily increase in cases demonstrates that a mandatory disclosure policy is no longer sufficient. It is the government’s duty to take it to the next level and make vaccination mandatory for all school board staff. The Ministry of Education must also amend the Immunization of School Pupils Act to make vaccination for COVID-19 necessary for students to attend schools and daycares across Ontario.

Ontario’s Education Act mandates that school boards have a responsibility to promote student achievement and well-being. To meet this responsibility, school boards must create learning environments that ensure the physical and psychological well-being, as well as the safety of students and staff. Having students learn safely in the classroom, with their peers, is the best possible environment for student achievement and well-being. Mandatory vaccination for staff and eligible students would minimize the possibilities of infecting our students that are not yet eligible for vaccination, while reducing risks for the entire school community.

ACÉPO and the school boards it represents offer their collaboration to the Ministry of Education to implement as quickly as possible the necessary procedures so that from the start of the school year, students can benefit from a learning environment that will safely promote their well-being and a high-quality education.

Source:

Anne Gerson – anne.gerson@acepo.org
Chargée de communication
C. : 647.988.5042